Who are the 5 players Mariners reportedly would get from Mets for Robinson Canó, Edwin Díaz?
Nov 30, 2018, 2:18 PM | Updated: 3:03 pm
(AP)
The Seattle Mariners’ rumored blockbuster seven-player trade with the Mets was reportedly still being worked out Friday afternoon, but the five players who would come back to Seattle for seven-time All-Star second baseman Robinson Canó and 2018 Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year winner Edwin Díaz are said to be set should the deal go through.
M’s offseason trades: Colomé to ChiSox | Paxton to NYY | Zunino to Rays
The headliners of Seattle’s potential haul for two of their most productive players are prospects Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn, while veterans Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzak and young reliever Gerson Bautista are also reported to be included in the transaction.
Let’s take a closer look at each of the players said to be packing their bags for Seattle.
Listen: M’s insider Shannon Drayer talks rumored Mets trade, Colomé deal
Jarred Kelenic, OF prospect
Selected No. 6 overall last June in the first round of the MLB Draft by the Mets, the 19-year-old Kelenic is Baseball America’s No. 4 prospect in the Mets system and is believed by some experts to have superstar potential. Swinging from the left side of the plate, Kelenic had a .286 batting average, .371 on-base percentage and .839 OPS in 56 games split between a pair of Mets Rookie-ball affiliates in 2018.
The Waukesha, Wisc., native actually finished high school early, similar to Bryce Harper, to better prepare himself for a career in professional baseball. He didn’t play high school baseball, either, instead committing himself to elite travel teams.
After drafting Kelenic, the Mets called him a “two-way” player who could star both at the plate (he has enough power to project as a corner outfielder in the majors) and defensively.
“We felt very comfortable selecting a player this high in the Draft who has tremendous makeup, passion for the game, intensity for the game,” Mets director of amateur scouting Marc Tramuta said of Kelenic, according to MLB.com. “That’s been his sole goal is to play in the big leagues and get drafted as high as possible.”
Watch Bill Ripken break down the @Mets top selection, Jarred Kelenic. #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/EtF24NQb6Y
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 4, 2018
Justin Dunn, RHP prospect
Taken with the No. 19 selection in the first round of the 2016 draft out of Boston College by the Mets, Dunn reached Double-A for the first time in 2018, going 6-5 with a 4.22 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 105 strikeouts over 15 starts (89 2/3 innings) for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
Baseball America’s fifth-ranked Mets prospect, Dunn by all accounts has strong stuff, reaching the mid-90s with his fastball and also featuring a slider, curveball and change-up. Converted from a reliever to a starter during his time at Boston College, he bounced back in 2018 after a rough 2017 at High-A St. Lucie.
2016 #MLBDraft #Mets 1st rounder Justin Dunn was 💰💰💰tonight. 10 K's in 7 scoreless. Watch the reaction of the hitters when he unleashes the SL. #PureNastiness pic.twitter.com/C9KiQo4XtE
— Jason Woodell (@JasonAtTheGame) June 5, 2018
Jay Bruce, veteran OF
Should the deal go through, Bruce would most likely be in the Mariners’ starting lineup on opening day 2019, but his inclusion in the trade would primarily be as a means for the Mets to make way for Canó’s salary more than anything else. The 31-year-old outfielder is a two-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger winner, but he’s also coming off the worst of his 11 major league seasons and is owed a base salary of $13 million for each of the next two years.
A star with the Cincinnati Reds who debuted in the MLB at 21, Bruce has nine 20-homer seasons under his belt, including five with 30 or more. He was productive in 2017 after coming to the Mets in a trade from Cleveland, hitting 29 home runs in 103 games, but struggled mightily in 2018, hitting just .223 with nine homers and a .680 OPS over 94 games. He was slowed by hip and back ailments and spent some time on the disabled list as a result in 2018.
Bruce is limited to the corners as an outfielder but has added first base to his repertoire in recent seasons, though he would probably see most of his time at designated hitter playing for an American League team.
Solid week for Jay Bruce as he produces nine RBI and a grand slam to claim our performer of the week. #Bruuuce https://t.co/kXTIeTk22R pic.twitter.com/zl6AuZxi2D
— New York Mets (@Mets) May 8, 2017
Anthony Swarzak, veteran RHP
Swarzak carries a fairly hefty price tag for a 33-year-old middle reliever, as he is owed a base salary of $8 million in 2019, his final year under contract. Like Bruce, his 2018 season was one to forget, as he posted a 6.15 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 31 strikeouts and 14 walks over 29 appearances (26 1/3 innings), so he would be another case of the Mets shedding payroll to make Canó’s addition possible.
Originally a starter, Swarzak had success switching to the bullpen in 2013 and enjoyed his best season in 2017, posting a 2.33 ERA over 70 combined games with the White Sox and Brewers. He has had stints with six MLB teams since his debut in 2009: the Twins, Indians, Yankees, White Sox, Brewers and Mets.
Gerson Bautista, RHP prospect
The 23-year-old Bautista made his MLB debut last season, appearing in five games with the Mets spread out over four call-ups.
While Bautista can reach triple-digits with his fastball, he is still very much a work in progress. He gave up six earned runs over 4 1/3 innings with the Mets, and he had a 5.14 ERA combined between Double-A and Triple-A in 2018.
Drayer: With Díaz attached to Canó rumors, M’s closer to full rebuild